BUSAN — A national framework for managing ship cybersecurity and resilience is moving into operation as the maritime industry accelerates its digital transition.
The Korean Register (KR) said on the 15th that it held a launch event for the pilot service of its cyber resilience platform at the Wyndham Grand Hotel in Busan on the 13th. About 90 people attended, including executives from major Korean shipping companies and ship management firms such as SK Shipping, H-Line Shipping, Hyundai LNG Shipping, HMM Ocean Service and PoSSM, along with officials from IT and security solution providers.
The event was designed to help the maritime industry get ahead of tightening international cybersecurity rules for ships. KR used a seminar to outline global regulatory trends and response strategies, and unveiled the pilot service of KR-CRP, or KR-Cyber Resilience Platform, which it developed with its own technology.
KR-CRP moves the entire process of preparing and managing design documents into a digital environment so that ships can comply with UR E26, the International Association of Classification Societies' mandatory requirement on ship cyber resilience. By linking the digital platform directly to ship design approval and class survey processes, KR expects the platform to sharply reduce the paperwork and approval burden that has weighed on shipbuilding and shipping operations, and to maximize efficiency.
At the event, KR introduced an information security management system based on ISO 27001:2022 and standard cybersecurity procedures for shore-based managers. It then demonstrated technology that automates class survey work by combining KR-CRP with onboard security solutions, drawing strong interest from attendees.
KR also presented a plan to build a dedicated internal unit that would activate a rapid response system in the event of a cyber breach aboard a ship. Under the plan, KR's convention and audit team would serve as the single point of contact for reporting incidents and would provide one-stop support covering technical analysis, system recovery and verification of ship safety.
KR said it will use the pilot operation to incorporate feedback from the shipping and shipbuilding industries, upgrading KR-CRP's functions and ease of use while strengthening cybersecurity capabilities across the Korean maritime sector.
"In the era of smart ships, where information and communication links between vessels and shore-based systems are accelerating, cyber resilience is a key factor determining safe operation and reliability," KR Chairman Lee Young-seok said. "KR will continue developing advanced digital technology services such as KR-CRP so that shipping companies can ease the burden of regulatory compliance and focus on what they do best, operating ships safely."